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The Howayda Taha
Disregarding the defence requests Defence statements on 28 March 2007 Cairo, 8 March 2007 The Nozha Misdemeanour court yesterday held the third session in the Howayda Taha case, program maker for Al-Jazeera television in case number 1542 for the year 2007 registered by number 11 for year 2007 Higher State Security. The court along with the defence watched different parts of the tapes that the public prosecutor claims to include scenes destroying the reputation of the Egyptian government. In addition, the court listened and discussed witnesses presented by the prosecutor. However, the court refused to implement any of the 11 requests presented by the defence team, formed by the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, Hesham Mubarak Law Centre, and the Freedom for Political Rights and Support of Democracy Centre, Dr. Selim al-Awa. The Judged postponed the case to 28 March 2007 for the defence to prepare its statements. The session yesterday including watching small parts of the 16 tapes that were confiscated on 8 January 2007 claiming that these tapes included acting scenes that Al-Jazeera is planning to broadcast and destroy the reputation of Egypt. The court then asked to hear the witnesses presented by the State Security Prosecutor. The defence requested the session to be postponed for the defence to discuss some of the witnesses and some officers of the Ministry of Interior who were interviewed by Howayda Taha during here preparation for the documentary. In addition, the defence wanted to bring in some of the doctors who were interviewed. The judge refused any of these requests and postponed the case to 28 March to hear the defence statements and disregarding defence requests! The three human rights organisations announced their fears that standards for a just trial would not be respected in this case. Without these fulfilling the requests of the defence team, it would be difficult to prepare a strong defence that is based on discussion with witnesses and experts. Their statements might change the way the case is heading. In addition, the court refused to watch the tapes completely in order to guarantee that the tapes really destroy the reputation of the country or not, especially that the material in the tapes is still unedited. It is worth mentioning that while discussing the witnesses, it appeared that there has been contradictions in the statement of one of the state security officer who took the witness stand upon the request of the prosecutor. The witness is supposedly the one who carried the investigation for this case. His answers varied from a strong belief that the material on the tapes are fabricated to him saying in the same session that he was not sure of Howayda Taha's time of travel and that he was surprised that the material in the tapes are fabricated after he watched it with millions of others on a Television after copies of the tape were leaked in a controversial manner! The three organisations announces that they fear the clear absence of standards of a fair trial and thus requests for the return of the investigative judge, especially that the State Security prosecutor is present in the case knowingly that this institution imposes restrictions on basic liberties in Egypt and the main rights for a fair and independent trial. Human Rights organisations forming the defence team: The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information Hesham Mubarak Law Centre The Freedom to Political Rights and Support for Democracy Centre |
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